This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK summarises the UK's tax, spend and fiscal policy issues against the backdrop of our collective wellbeing. This paper sets out a summary of relevant tax, spend and fiscal policy issues in the UK today against the backdrop of our current collective wellbeing. The paper seeks opinion on...

This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute recommends a shift toward a pro-growth, framework to ensure that Britain’s nightlife remains a global attraction. The report Last Orders, co-authored by Sacha Lord and the Adam Smith Institute, highlights the precarious state of Britain’s hospitality and night-time economy. It argues that the sector—once a...

This report from UK think tank Civitas suggests that wage stagnation may be an important driver of rising net recipience in the medium term. According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics, more than half of households in the United Kingdom (52.6 per cent) receive more from the state in benefits (including...

This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute puts the case for a real harm reduction policy. At the Adam Smith Institute, we believe that the Government’s current fixation on prohibitionist policies—epitomised by the Tobacco and Vapes Bill—is a profound misstep that threatens to undermine decades of progress in public health. Our report,...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation outlines strategies for creating a skills system that adequately encourages genuine apprenticeships. In this report, Baroness Alison Wolf calls for the new Growth and Skills Levy to focus on young people, have greater local involvement, and distinguish between apprenticeships and workplace upskilling. The current system...

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Policy Studies shows that it will cost businesses £2,367 more to employ a full-time worker on the minimum wage than it did in 2024. This year will be the most expensive on record for businesses who employ workers on the minimum wage, according to new analysis....

This report from UK think tank IPPR puts forward a new typology of wealth and expands the conversation from wealth tax to a broader range of policy instruments. Life chances are increasingly determined by what you inherit, not what you do. But what can we do about it? More people own assets today than in...

This report from UK think tank Localis explores funding local government in this Parliament and beyond. The financial problems facing local government in England are well rehearsed. The deteriorating impact of shrinking budgets on public services and the state of the public realm formed an important part of the Labour Party’s platform of ‘change’ in...

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Policy Studies discusses the age of the super-state. New analysis from the Centre for Policy Studies shows that, as a result of changes announced in this week’s Budget, state spending is set to increase to an astonishing £1.5 trillion by 2029/30. The briefing paper argues that...

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation puts the autumn budget 2024 decisions on tax, spending and borrowing into context. This has been the most anticipated Budget of modern times. It had to wrestle with profound – and sometimes conflicting – challenges: fixing the strained public services; repairing failing public services; and breaking...

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Policy Studies highlights the damage that will be done to the economy if the Chancellor uses next week’s Budget to hike capital gains tax (CGT). Despite raising relatively little revenue for the Treasury (1.5% of all revenue), CGT is an incredibly distortive and complex tax, paid...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines a change of approach to helping small firms to increase their investment. SMEs will have a key role in closing the UK’s investment gap with other economies. However, to ensure that SMEs can make such a contribution, a more strategic policy approach towards SME...

This report from UK think tank Onward looks at how startups can put Britain back in business. Britain can unlock a new generation of entrepreneurs and inspire growth among small businesses with major reforms to tax, regulations and lending. Too many small British businesses are unable to grow, leaving the country reliant on 1% of...

This report from UK think tank IPPR looks at understanding the chancellor's choices ahead of the budget. Voters believe the government should be "changemakers, not just bookkeepers." New polling from IPPR and Persuasion UK reveals the public want ministers to focus on investing in public services rather than just balancing the budget.

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Policy Studies calls for the Chancellor to focus on fundamental tax reform to stoke economic growth. The UK ranks a dismal 30th out of 38 OECD countries in the 2024 edition of the International Tax Competitiveness Index, published today by the US-based Tax Foundation. This extremely...